Polyphosphazene polymers containing repeating ##STR2## units in which various alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, aryloxy, substituted aryloxy, amino and mercapto groups are attached to the phosphorus atom and their method of preparation are described in the prior art as illustrated in the publication "Phosphorus-Nitrogen Compounds", Academic Press, New York, New York, 1972 by H. R. Allcock and "Poly(Organophosphazenes)", Chemtech, Sept. 19, 1975, by H. R. Allcock and in such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,515,688; 3,702,833; 3,856,712; 3,974,242; and 4,042,561.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,866,773 to Redfarn, discloses the reaction of compounds such as ortho-difunctional phenylene compounds with a polyphosphonitrilic backbone, but contrary to the present invention, Redfarn reacts only one functional group with the polymer backbone and uses the remaining functionality to crosslink the polymer with materials such as hexamethylenetetramine to form a thermosetting resin unlike the thermoplastic resins produced by the present invention.
Furthermore, in "Phosphonitrilic Compounds.XV.", Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. 11, No. 11, 1972, by H. R. Allcock et al, pages 2584-2590, it is stated that upon the treatment of poly(dichlorophosphazene) in tetrahydrofuran with o-phenylenediamine, in the presence of triethylamine, the amine hydrochloride salt is formed and gellation of the mixture occurs rapidly to produce a crosslinked polymer which is unstable to atmospheric moisture.